<PAGE>   1
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 10, 2001
                                           Registration No.
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                              --------------------
                                    FORM S-8
                          REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                              --------------------
                          Regions Financial Corporation
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
                              --------------------
           Delaware                                      63-0589368
     (State or Other Jurisdiction of                  (I.R.S. Employer
     Incorporation or Organization)                  Identification No.)

     417 North 20th Street, Birmingham, AL          35203
     (Address of Principal Executive Offices)       (Zip Code)


   Stock Options Issued Under Assumed Morgan Keegan, Inc. Stock Option Plans
             2000 Equity Compensation Plan of Morgan Keegan, Inc.
      1994 Restricted Stock and Stock Option Plan of Morgan Keegan, Inc.

                             (Full Title of Plan)
                              --------------------

                              Samuel E. Upchurch, Jr.
                     General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
                              417 North 20th Street
                              Birmingham, AL 35203
                    (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (205) 326-7860
          (Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)
                              --------------------
                                   Copies to:

                               Charles C. Pinckney
                      Lange, Simpson, Robinson & Somerville LLP
                        417 North 20th Street, Suite 1700
                               Birmingham, Al 35203
                                 (205) 250-5000

                              --------------------

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
=============================================================================================================
  Title of                                 Proposed maximum          Proposed maximum
 securities to           Amount to be        offering price             aggregate              Amount of
be registered            registered            per share*            offering price**        registration fee
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                      <C>               <C>                       <C>                     <C>
Common Stock, par
value $.625 per share     3,337,300            $ 28.81                 $ 92,646,845            $ 23,161.71
=============================================================================================================
</TABLE>

 * Maximum option exercise price of stock options with exercise prices in the
range from $7.30 to $28.81.

** Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(h) based on the option exercise prices and
number of shares issuable at each price.


<PAGE>   2


                                     PART II

             INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT


ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

         The following documents, previously filed by Regions Financial
Corporation ("Regions" or the "Registrant") with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, are incorporated herein by reference:

         a.       Regions' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
                  December 31, 2000;

         b.       All other reports filed by Regions pursuant to Section 13(a)
                  or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 for the period
                  since December 31, 2000.

         c.       The description of Regions Common Stock under the heading
                  "Item 1. Capital Stock to be Registered" in the registration
                  statement on Form 8-A of Regions relating to Regions Common
                  Stock and in any amendment or report filed for the purpose of
                  updating such description.

         All documents subsequently filed pursuant to Sections 13, 14, and 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, prior to the filing of a post-effective
amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which
de-registers all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and to be a part thereof
from the date of filing of such documents.


ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

         Not applicable to this Registration Statement.

ITEM 5.  INTEREST OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

         An opinion on the legality of the shares which are the subject of this
registration statement is given by Lange, Simpson, Robinson & Somerville LLP,
417 North 20th Street, Birmingham, Alabama, 35203. Henry E. Simpson, partner of
the firm, is a director of Regions. As of April 9, 2001, attorneys in the law
firm of Lange, Simpson, Robinson & Somerville LLP owned an aggregate of 242,610
shares of Regions Common Stock.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

         Article Tenth of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant
provides:

                  "(a) The corporation shall indemnify its officers, directors,
         employees, and agents to the full extent permitted by the General
         Corporation Law of Delaware. (b) No director of the corporation shall
         be personally liable to the corporation or its stockholders for
         monetary damages, for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except
         for liability (i) for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to
         the corporation or its stockholders; (ii) for acts or omissions not in
         good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing
         violation of law; (iii) under Section 174 of the Delaware General
         Corporation Law; or (iv) for any transaction from which the director
         derived an improper personal benefit."


<PAGE>   3


         Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation law empowers Regions to
indemnify its officers and directors under certain circumstances. The pertinent
provisions of that statute read as follows:

                  "(a) A corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a
         party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or
         completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal,
         administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the
         right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that he is or was a
         director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was
         serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer,
         employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture,
         trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys'
         fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and
         reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or
         proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably
         believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
         corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding,
         had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. The
         termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order,
         settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its
         equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person
         did not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed
         to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and,
         with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause
         to believe that his conduct was unlawful.

                  "(b) A corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a
         party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or
         completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to
         procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is or was
         a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was
         serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer,
         employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture,
         trust or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys' fees)
         actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense
         or settlement of such action or suit if he acted in good faith and in a
         manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
         interests of the corporation and except that no indemnification shall
         be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such
         person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless
         and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which
         such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that,
         despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the
         circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably
         entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or
         such other court shall deem proper.

                  "(c) To the extent that a director, officer, employee or agent
         of a corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in
         defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in subsections
         (a) and (b) of this section, or in defense of any claim, issue or
         matter therein, he shall be indemnified against expenses (including
         attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection
         therewith.

                  "(d) Any indemnification under subsections (a) and (b) of this
         section (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the corporation
         only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that
         indemnification of the director, officer, employee or agent is proper
         in the circumstances because he has met the applicable standard of
         conduct set forth in subsections (a) and (b) of this section. Such
         determination shall be made (1) by a majority vote of the directors who
         are not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, even though less
         than a quorum, or (2) if there are no such directors, or if such
         directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion,
         or (3) by the stockholders.

<PAGE>   4

                  "(e) Expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred by an
         officer or director in defending any civil, criminal, administrative or
         investigative action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the corporation
         in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding
         upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director or
         officer to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that
         he is not entitled to be indemnified by the corporation as authorized
         in this section. Such expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred by
         other employees and agents may be so paid upon such terms and
         conditions, if any, as the board of directors deems appropriate.

                  "(f) The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided
         by, or granted pursuant to, the other subsections of this section shall
         not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking
         indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any
         bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or
         otherwise, both as to action in his official capacity and as to action
         in another capacity while holding such office.

                  "(g) A corporation shall have power to purchase and maintain
         insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer,
         employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the
         request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of
         another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
         enterprise against any liability asserted against him and incurred by
         him in any such capacity, or arising out of his status as such, whether
         or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify him against
         such liability under this section.

                  "(h) For purposes of this section, references to "the
         corporation" shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation,
         any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a
         constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its
         separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to
         indemnify its directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that any
         person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such
         constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such
         constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of
         another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
         enterprise, shall stand in the same position under this section with
         respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as he would have with
         respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had
         continued.

                  "(i) For purposes of this section, references to "other
         enterprises" shall include employee benefit plans; references to
         "fines" shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with
         respect to any employee benefit plan; and references to "serving at the
         request of the corporation" shall include any service as a director,
         officer, employee or agent of the corporation which imposes duties on,
         or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with
         respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries;
         and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably
         believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of
         an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner "not
         opposed to the best interests of the corporation" as referred to in
         this section.

                  "(j) The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided
         by, or granted pursuant to, this section shall, unless otherwise
         provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a person who has
         ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to
         the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a
         person.

<PAGE>   5


                  "(k) The Court of Chancery is hereby vested with exclusive
         jurisdiction to hear and determine all actions for advancement of
         expenses or indemnification brought under this section or under any
         bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or
         otherwise. The Court of Chancery may summarily determine a
         corporation's obligation to advance expenses (including attorneys'
         fees)."

         Regions has purchased a directors' and officers' liability insurance
contract which provides, within stated limits, reimbursement either to a
director or officer whose actions in his capacity result in liability, or to the
Registrant, in the event it has indemnified the director or officer. Major
exclusions from coverage include libel, slander, personal profit based on inside
information, illegal payments, dishonesty, accounting of securities profits in
violation of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and acts
within the scope of the Pension Reform Act of 1974.

ITEM 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

         Not applicable to this Registration Statement.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

         See Index to Exhibits.

ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

         A.       The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes to file, during
any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment
to this registration statement (i) to include any prospectus required by Section
10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; (ii) to reflect in the prospectus any
facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement
(or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in
the aggregate represents a fundamental change in the information set forth in
the registration statement; and (iii) to include any material information with
respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration
statement or any material change to such information in the registration
statement; PROVIDED HOWEVER, that such undertakings set forth in (i) and (ii)
above do not apply to the extent the information required to be included in a
post-effective amendment is contained in periodic reports filed by the
Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

         The undersigned Registrant further undertakes, that, for the purpose of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such
post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

         The undersigned Registrant further undertakes to remove from
registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being
registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

         B.       The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for
purposes of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing
of the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, (and, where applicable, each filing of an
employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the
registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.


<PAGE>   6


         C.       Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers, and controlling
persons of the Registrant, pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise,
the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer, or controlling
person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit, or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer, or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will
be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

<PAGE>   7


                                   SIGNATURES


         The Registrant. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of
1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it
meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of Birmingham, State of Alabama, on April 9, 2001.


                                          REGISTRANT:

                                          REGIONS FINANCIAL CORPORATION


                                        BY: /s/ Richard D. Horsley
                                            -----------------------------------
                                                 Richard D. Horsley
                                                   Vice Chairman and
                                              Executive Financial Officer



         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the date indicated.



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
      SIGNATURE                       TITLE                           DATE
------------------------     ----------------------------       ----------------
<S>                          <C>                                <C>
            *
------------------------     President and Chief Executive       April 9, 2001
Carl E. Jones, Jr.              Officer and Director
                            (principal executive officer)

/s/ Richard D. Horsley
------------------------     Vice Chairman of the Board and      April 9, 2001
Richard D. Horsley            Executive Financial Officer
                                     and Director
                             (principal financial officer)
            *
------------------------     Executive Vice President and        April 9, 2001
D. Bryan Jordan                      Comptroller
                            (principal accounting officer)


            *
------------------------            Director                     April 9, 2001
Sheila S. Blair

            *
------------------------            Director                     April 9, 2001
James B. Boone, Jr.

            *
------------------------            Director                     April 9, 2001
James S.M. French
</TABLE>


<PAGE>   8


<TABLE>
<S>                          <C>                                <C>
------------------------            Director
Olin B. King

            *
------------------------     Chairman of the Board               April 9, 2001
J. Stanley Mackin                 and Director

            *
------------------------            Director                     April 9, 2001
Michael W. Murphy

            *
------------------------            Director                     April 9, 2001
Henry E. Simpson

            *
------------------------            Director                     April 9, 2001
Lee J. Styslinger, Jr.

            *
------------------------            Director                     April 9, 2001
W. Woodrow Stewart

            *
------------------------            Director                     April 9, 2001
John H. Watson

            *
------------------------            Director                     April 9, 2001
C. Kemmons Wilson, Jr.


* By /s/ Richard D. Horsley as attorney-in-fact             April 9, 2001
     pursuant to a power of attorney.
</TABLE>


<PAGE>   9


                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                             Sequential
Exhibit                                                         Page
Number                    Description                          Number
<S>        <C>                                               <C>
 4.1       2000 Equity Compensation Plan of Morgan
           Keegan, Inc.

 4.2       1994 Restricted Stock and Stock Option Plan

 5.1       Opinion Re: legality, of Lange, Simpson,
           Robinson & Somerville LLP dated
           April 9, 2001

23.1       Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.

23.2       Consent of Lange, Simpson, Robinson &
           Somerville LLP -- Included in Exhibit 5.1

24.1       Power of attorney
</TABLE>
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "g68459s-8.txt", "description": "REGIONS FINANCIAL CORPORATION", "secsgml_size_bytes": 24680}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "REGIONS FINANCIAL CORP", "cik": "0000036032", "assigned-sic": "6021", "irs-number": "630589368", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-58638", "film-number": "1599707"}, "business-address": {"street1": "417 NORTH 20TH STREET", "city": "BIRMINGHAM", "state": "AL", "zip": "35023", "phone": "2059441300"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "417 NORTH 20TH STREET", "city": "BIRMINGHAM", "state": "AL", "zip": "35023"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "FIRST ALABAMA BANCSHARES INC", "date-changed": "19920703"}}
1
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 10, 2001
                                           Registration No.
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                              --------------------
                                    FORM S-8
                          REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                              --------------------
                          Regions Financial Corporation
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
                              --------------------
           Delaware                                      63-0589368
     (State or Other Jurisdiction of                  (I.R.S. Employer
     Incorporation or Organization)                  Identification No.)

     417 North 20th Street, Birmingham, AL          35203
     (Address of Principal Executive Offices)       (Zip Code)

   Stock Options Issued Under Assumed Morgan Keegan, Inc. Stock Option Plans
             2000 Equity Compensation Plan of Morgan Keegan, Inc.
      1994 Restricted Stock and Stock Option Plan of Morgan Keegan, Inc.

                             (Full Title of Plan)
                              --------------------

                              Samuel E. Upchurch, Jr.
                     General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
                              417 North 20th Street
                              Birmingham, AL 35203
                    (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (205) 326-7860
          (Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)
                              --------------------
                                   Copies to:

                               Charles C. Pinckney
                      Lange, Simpson, Robinson & Somerville LLP
                        417 North 20th Street, Suite 1700
                               Birmingham, Al 35203
                                 (205) 250-5000

                              --------------------

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
=============================================================================================================
  Title of                                 Proposed maximum          Proposed maximum
 securities to           Amount to be        offering price             aggregate              Amount of
be registered            registered            per share*            offering price**        registration fee
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock, par
value $.625 per share     3,337,300            $ 28.81                 $ 92,646,845            $ 23,161.71
=============================================================================================================
* Maximum option exercise price of stock options with exercise prices in the
range from $7.30 to $28.81.

** Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(h) based on the option exercise prices and
number of shares issuable at each price.
2

                                     PART II

             INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

         The following documents, previously filed by Regions Financial
Corporation ("Regions" or the "Registrant") with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, are incorporated herein by reference:

         a.       Regions' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
                  December 31, 2000;

         b.       All other reports filed by Regions pursuant to Section 13(a)
                  or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 for the period
                  since December 31, 2000.

         c.       The description of Regions Common Stock under the heading
                  "Item 1. Capital Stock to be Registered" in the registration
                  statement on Form 8-A of Regions relating to Regions Common
                  Stock and in any amendment or report filed for the purpose of
                  updating such description.

         All documents subsequently filed pursuant to Sections 13, 14, and 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, prior to the filing of a post-effective
amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which
de-registers all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and to be a part thereof
from the date of filing of such documents.

ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

         Not applicable to this Registration Statement.

ITEM 5.  INTEREST OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

         An opinion on the legality of the shares which are the subject of this
registration statement is given by Lange, Simpson, Robinson & Somerville LLP,
417 North 20th Street, Birmingham, Alabama, 35203. Henry E. Simpson, partner of
the firm, is a director of Regions. As of April 9, 2001, attorneys in the law
firm of Lange, Simpson, Robinson & Somerville LLP owned an aggregate of 242,610
shares of Regions Common Stock.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

         Article Tenth of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant
provides:

                  "(a) The corporation shall indemnify its officers, directors,
         employees, and agents to the full extent permitted by the General
         Corporation Law of Delaware. (b) No director of the corporation shall
         be personally liable to the corporation or its stockholders for
         monetary damages, for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except
         for liability (i) for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to
         the corporation or its stockholders; (ii) for acts or omissions not in
         good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing
         violation of law; (iii) under Section 174 of the Delaware General
         Corporation Law; or (iv) for any transaction from which the director
         derived an improper personal benefit."
3

         Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation law empowers Regions to
indemnify its officers and directors under certain circumstances. The pertinent
provisions of that statute read as follows:

                  "(a) A corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a
         party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or
         completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal,
         administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the
         right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that he is or was a
         director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was
         serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer,
         employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture,
         trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys'
         fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and
         reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or
         proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably
         believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
         corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding,
         had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. The
         termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order,
         settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its
         equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person
         did not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed
         to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and,
         with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause
         to believe that his conduct was unlawful.

                  "(b) A corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a
         party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or
         completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to
         procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is or was
         a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was
         serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer,
         employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture,
         trust or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys' fees)
         actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense
         or settlement of such action or suit if he acted in good faith and in a
         manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
         interests of the corporation and except that no indemnification shall
         be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such
         person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless
         and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which
         such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that,
         despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the
         circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably
         entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery or
         such other court shall deem proper.

                  "(c) To the extent that a director, officer, employee or agent
         of a corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in
         defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in subsections
         (a) and (b) of this section, or in defense of any claim, issue or
         matter therein, he shall be indemnified against expenses (including
         attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection
         therewith.

                  "(d) Any indemnification under subsections (a) and (b) of this
         section (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the corporation
         only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that
         indemnification of the director, officer, employee or agent is proper
         in the circumstances because he has met the applicable standard of
         conduct set forth in subsections (a) and (b) of this section. Such
         determination shall be made (1) by a majority vote of the directors who
         are not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, even though less
         than a quorum, or (2) if there are no such directors, or if such
         directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion,
         or (3) by the stockholders.
4

                  "(e) Expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred by an
         officer or director in defending any civil, criminal, administrative or
         investigative action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the corporation
         in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding
         upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director or
         officer to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that
         he is not entitled to be indemnified by the corporation as authorized
         in this section. Such expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred by
         other employees and agents may be so paid upon such terms and
         conditions, if any, as the board of directors deems appropriate.

                  "(f) The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided
         by, or granted pursuant to, the other subsections of this section shall
         not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking
         indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any
         bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or
         otherwise, both as to action in his official capacity and as to action
         in another capacity while holding such office.

                  "(g) A corporation shall have power to purchase and maintain
         insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer,
         employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the
         request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of
         another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
         enterprise against any liability asserted against him and incurred by
         him in any such capacity, or arising out of his status as such, whether
         or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify him against
         such liability under this section.

                  "(h) For purposes of this section, references to "the
         corporation" shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation,
         any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a
         constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its
         separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to
         indemnify its directors, officers, and employees or agents, so that any
         person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such
         constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such
         constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of
         another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
         enterprise, shall stand in the same position under this section with
         respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as he would have with
         respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had
         continued.

                  "(i) For purposes of this section, references to "other
         enterprises" shall include employee benefit plans; references to
         "fines" shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with
         respect to any employee benefit plan; and references to "serving at the
         request of the corporation" shall include any service as a director,
         officer, employee or agent of the corporation which imposes duties on,
         or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with
         respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries;
         and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably
         believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of
         an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner "not
         opposed to the best interests of the corporation" as referred to in
         this section.

                  "(j) The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided
         by, or granted pursuant to, this section shall, unless otherwise
         provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a person who has
         ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to
         the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a
         person.
5

                  "(k) The Court of Chancery is hereby vested with exclusive
         jurisdiction to hear and determine all actions for advancement of
         expenses or indemnification brought under this section or under any
         bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or
         otherwise. The Court of Chancery may summarily determine a
         corporation's obligation to advance expenses (including attorneys'
         fees)."

         Regions has purchased a directors' and officers' liability insurance
contract which provides, within stated limits, reimbursement either to a
director or officer whose actions in his capacity result in liability, or to the
Registrant, in the event it has indemnified the director or officer. Major
exclusions from coverage include libel, slander, personal profit based on inside
information, illegal payments, dishonesty, accounting of securities profits in
violation of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and acts
within the scope of the Pension Reform Act of 1974.

ITEM 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

         Not applicable to this Registration Statement.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

         See Index to Exhibits.

ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

         A.       The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes to file, during
any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment
to this registration statement (i) to include any prospectus required by Section
10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; (ii) to reflect in the prospectus any
facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement
(or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in
the aggregate represents a fundamental change in the information set forth in
the registration statement; and (iii) to include any material information with
respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration
statement or any material change to such information in the registration
statement; PROVIDED HOWEVER, that such undertakings set forth in (i) and (ii)
above do not apply to the extent the information required to be included in a
post-effective amendment is contained in periodic reports filed by the
Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

         The undersigned Registrant further undertakes, that, for the purpose of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such
post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

         The undersigned Registrant further undertakes to remove from
registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being
registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

         B.       The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for
purposes of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing
of the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, (and, where applicable, each filing of an
employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the
registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
6

         C.       Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers, and controlling
persons of the Registrant, pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise,
the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer, or controlling
person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit, or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer, or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will
be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
7

                                   SIGNATURES

         The Registrant. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of
1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it
meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of Birmingham, State of Alabama, on April 9, 2001.

                                          REGISTRANT:

                                          REGIONS FINANCIAL CORPORATION

                                        BY: /s/ Richard D. Horsley
                                            -----------------------------------
                                                 Richard D. Horsley
                                                   Vice Chairman and
                                              Executive Financial Officer

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the date indicated.
SIGNATURE                       TITLE                           DATE
------------------------     ----------------------------       ----------------
*
------------------------     President and Chief Executive       April 9, 2001
Carl E. Jones, Jr.              Officer and Director
                            (principal executive officer)

/s/ Richard D. Horsley
------------------------     Vice Chairman of the Board and      April 9, 2001
Richard D. Horsley            Executive Financial Officer
                                     and Director
                             (principal financial officer)
            *
------------------------     Executive Vice President and        April 9, 2001
D. Bryan Jordan                      Comptroller
                            (principal accounting officer)

            *
------------------------            Director                     April 9, 2001
Sheila S. Blair

            *
------------------------            Director                     April 9, 2001
James B. Boone, Jr.

            *
------------------------            Director                     April 9, 2001
James S.M. French
8
------------------------            Director
Olin B. King

            *
------------------------     Chairman of the Board               April 9, 2001
J. Stanley Mackin                 and Director

            *
------------------------            Director                     April 9, 2001
Michael W. Murphy

            *
------------------------            Director                     April 9, 2001
Henry E. Simpson

            *
------------------------            Director                     April 9, 2001
Lee J. Styslinger, Jr.

            *
------------------------            Director                     April 9, 2001
W. Woodrow Stewart

            *
------------------------            Director                     April 9, 2001
John H. Watson

            *
------------------------            Director                     April 9, 2001
C. Kemmons Wilson, Jr.

* By /s/ Richard D. Horsley as attorney-in-fact             April 9, 2001
     pursuant to a power of attorney.
9

                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Sequential
Exhibit                                                         Page
Number                    Description                          Number
4.1       2000 Equity Compensation Plan of Morgan
           Keegan, Inc.

 4.2       1994 Restricted Stock and Stock Option Plan

 5.1       Opinion Re: legality, of Lange, Simpson,
           Robinson & Somerville LLP dated
           April 9, 2001

23.1       Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.

23.2       Consent of Lange, Simpson, Robinson &
           Somerville LLP -- Included in Exhibit 5.1

24.1       Power of attorney