Company: MFAN
Filing Date: 2025-11-18
Form Type: S-8
Source: 0001104659-25-113670
Chunk: 0

Company: MFA FINANCIAL, INC.
Filing Date: 2025-11-18
Form: S-8
Chunk 0
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<div align='center'>As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 18, 2025

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

MFA FINANCIAL, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)</div>

| Maryland                                 
 (State or other jurisdiction of          
 incorporation or organization)           | 13-3974868          
 (IRS Employer       
 Identification No.) |
| One Vanderbilt Ave., 48th Floor          
 New York, New York                       
 (Address of Principal Executive Offices) | 10017               
 (Zip Code)          |

<div align='center'>MFA Financial, Inc. Equity Compensation Plan

(Full title of the plan)

Craig L. Knutson

Chief Executive Officer

MFA Financial, Inc.

One Vanderbilt Ave., 48th Floor

New York, New York 10017

(212) 207-6400

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone
number, including area code, of agent for service)

With copies to:</div>

| Harold E. Schwartz                                   
 Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary 
 MFA Financial, Inc.                                  
 One Vanderbilt Ave., 48th Floor                      
 New York, New York 10017                             
 (212) 207-6400                                       | Robert K. Smith, Esq.    
 Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP 
 2200 Pennsylvania Ave NW 
 Washington, DC           
 20037                    
 (202) 955-1500           |

| Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company.  See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. |

| Large accelerated filer x                                              | Accelerated filer ¨         |
| Non-accelerated filer ¨  (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) | Smaller reporting company ¨ |
| Emerging growth company ¨                                              |                             |

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant
has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised