Objective To investigate the risk factors for end-stage liver disease (ESLD) complicated with fungal esophagitis (FE). Methods The clinical data of ESLD patients who underwent gastroscopy during their hospitalization in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The ESLD patients with FE were selected as the study group, and the ESLD patients without FE during the same period were included as the control group by 1∶2 propensity score matching method. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the risk factors of ESLD complicated with FE. Results A total of 75 ESLD patients with FE and 150 ESLD patients without FE were enrolled. There were no significant differences in age, gender, decompensated cirrhosis, liver cancer, diabetes mellitus, and etiology of ESLD between the two groups (P>0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that longer hospital stay [odds ratio (OR)=1.115, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.069, 1.164)], with invasive procedures [OR=10.820, 95%CI (4.393, 26.647)], and higher total bilirubin [OR=1.015, 95%CI (1.005, 1.024)] were risk factors for ESLD complicated with FE (P<0.05). In the study group, 41 patients were treated with antifungal drugs, and 4 of them developed invasive fungal infection. Among the 34 patients who did not receive antifungal drugs, 10 developed invasive fungal infection. Conclusions ESLD patients with longer hospital stay, worse liver function, and invasive procedures are more likely to develop FE, and regular gastroscopy should be performed. Once FE is found, active antifungal treatment should be taken to reduce the occurrence of invasive fungal infection and improve the prognosis of patients.