BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP):

Lionel Messi, Neymar, Luis Suarez and James Rodriguez will all be missing when 2018 World Cup qualifying gets underway in South America today.

Messi is out with a left knee injury picked up on September 26 and is not expected to return for Barcelona until late November.

Argentina head into qualifying after two near-misses having lost the Copa America final against Chile in July, and last year losing to Germany in the World Cup final in Brazil.

Messi's Barcelona teammate Neymar is suspended for Brazil's match against Chile and next week's qualifier against Venezuela after picking up a red card and a four-match ban against Colombia in the Copa America.

First four

The next two matches will wrap up the ban and make him available in November when Brazil face Argentina.

Uruguay, who play Bolivia today, will have to manage without Suarez for the first four South American qualifiers, as he is still suspended for biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Teammate Edinson Cavani is also suspended after a red card picked up in the Copa America against Chile.

Colombia's Rodriguez, the top scorer at the 2014 World Cup, is out through injury for the home match against Peru.