Embodiments provide a channel contention method and apparatus. The channel contention apparatus belongs to a basic service set (BSS). The BSS includes an access point (AP) and at least one first station (STA). Both the AP and the at least one first STA participate in channel contention. The apparatus is the AP or any first STA. The apparatus includes a sensing module configured to sense a channel. The apparatus also includes a contention module configured to contend for the channel. The AP centrally performs control and scheduling so that all of at least one network device in the BSS can transmit data by using the channel.