A method for structuring a content distribution overlay network for a peer-to-peer network is presented. The method includes receiving a request from a requesting node for content at a content node. The content node has processing capabilities to process the content for presentation to the requesting node. An overlay network, including the requesting node and the content node, is dynamically assembled after receiving the request for content, where the overlay network is self-organized from available nodes of the peer-to-peer network that are available at a time of the request and based on the content requested. Using the assembled overlay network, a head node of the overlay network determines if a child node in the overlay network has processing capabilities to process the content, where the child node is then assigned to process the content for presentation to the requesting node.