The high mRNA expression of E2F1 (HR = 2.01, 95%CI: 1.48–2.73, P = 4.6E − 06), E2F2 (HR = 2.16, 95%CI: 1.89–3.85, P = 1.3E − 05), E2F3 (HR = 1.66, 95%CI: 1.21–2.28, P = 0.0014), E2F4 (HR = 1.86, 95%CI: 1.37–2.52, P= 5E − 05), E2F5 (HR = 2.14, 95%CI: 1.57–2.92, P = 4.6E − 06), E2F7 (HR = 2.22, 95%CI: 1.63–3.02, P = 2.2E − 07), and E2F8 (HR = 1.62, 95%CI: 1.22–2.22, P = 0.00091) were significantly correlated with shorter OS in ccRCC patients, but no statistically significant association was found between E2F6 mRNA expression and OS (HR = 1.4, 95% CI: 0.98–1.98, P = 0.061). Here, E2F6 is linked to nonpapillary renal cell carcinoma.