2026 China League One


The 2026 China Resources Beverage Chinese Football League 1 will be the 23rd season of China League One, the second tier of the Chinese football league pyramid, since its establishment in 2004.

Summary

in 2022, Chinese Communist Party officials launched an anti-corruption probe resulting in eight footballing officials being investigated for "suspected of violations of discipline and law". In August 2024, former CCP Committee Secretary of the Chinese Football Association, Du Zhaocai, pleaded guilty to accepting more than US$6.1 million in bribes. On 10 September, CFA banned 38 players, including former nationals, Jin Jingdao, Guo Tianyu, and five officials for life over allegations of match-fixing and other forms of corruption. Other players and officials were also given shorter five years bans.
Four China League One clubs were also punished with fines and point deductions for the 2026 China League One. Changchun Yatai was docked four points. Meizhou Hakka, Ningbo and Suzhou Dongwu were docked three points each.

Clubs

Club changes

To League One

Teams promoted from 2025 China League Two
Teams relegated from 2025 Chinese Super League

From League One

Teams promoted to 2026 Chinese Super League
Teams relegated to 2026 China League Two

Stadiums and locations

TeamHead coachCityStadiumCapacity2025 season
Meizhou Hakka R

Foreign players

  • Players name in bold indicates the player is registered during the mid-season transfer window.
  • Players name in italics indicates the player is out of squad or left their respective clubs during the mid-season transfer window.
TeamPlayer 1Player 2Player 3Hong Kong/Macau/Taiwan playersNaturalised playersReserves playersFormer players
Changchun Yatai

League table