Dom Dwyer will not have the chance to play in one of the biggest games of his young soccer career.

In a novel twist, Dwyer, a 22-year-old English striker, will not be on the field for the Orlando City Lions of the United Soccer Leagues Pro division on Wednesday night in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup fourth-round game against Sporting Kansas City of Major League Soccer.

Dwyer is not injured. He has not been suspended.

He is, however, one of four Kansas City players on loan to Orlando City in the first year of a working relationship between M.L.S. and U.S.L. Pro, the third tier in the United States soccer pyramid. Under the agreement, the four M.L.S. clubs with U.S.L. affiliates (New England, D.C. United and Philadelphia are the others) have the right to recall their loan players at any time, for any reason. But because Dwyer and his fellow loan players have already played in the Open Cup for Orlando City (a victory over Colorado of M.L.S.), they are cup-tied, that is, not permitted to play for any other team in the same competition year. The Lions are in first place.

Kansas City has no intention of using Dwyer and his three teammates on loan. But it does not want them to play against the parent club. Kansas City is committed to defending its Open Cup title, and the automatic berth in the Concacaf Champions League that comes with it.

Asked whom he would be supporting Wednesday at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan., Dwyer said: “I’m cup-tied to Orlando. I want to win the Cup, so I’m pulling for Orlando. I’d be silly not to.”