China League One is the second tier of professional football in China. It was established in 2013 and serves as a stepping stone for clubs aiming to reach the top division, known as the Chinese Super League. The league features a mix of established teams and newly promoted clubs, providing competitive matches throughout the season. The league typically consists of 16 teams that compete in a round-robin format, where each team plays the others twice. The top teams at the end of the season can earn promotion to the Chinese Super League, while the bottom teams face relegation to the third tier, known as China League Two.